Carlos Slim, the Mexican billionaire Forbes ranks as the second-richest man in the world, yesterday (Thursday) announced he purchased a 6.4% stake in New York TimesCo. (NYT). Slim called the publisher of The New York Times an "attractive value" due to the stock's 20% loss so far this year, Bloomberg News reported.

Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) yesterday (Thursday) announced quarterly profit for its fiscal fourth quarter ended Aug. 3 increased 46% from the year ago period as the company increased prices to offset higher commodity costs. Campbell's reported net earnings of $89 million, or $0.24 per share, compared to $61 million, or $0.16 per share for the prior year in a company statement.

King Pharmaceuticals Inc. (KG) upped its takeover offer for Alpharma Inc. (ALO) yesterday (Thursday) to almost $1.6 billion. King raised its offer to $37 per share from its initial bid of $33 per share and said it plans to take the new offer directly to shareholders, Reuters reported.

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) is in talks to buyLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH), the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an unnamed source. Sources say Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), also thought to be interested, will not takeover the beleaguered firm.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) yesterday (Thursday) reiterated its $60 per share offer for ImClone Systems Inc. (IMCL), even though the biotechnology company said earlier this week that a secret suitor is offering $10 a share more.

Shares of Sunrise Senior Living Inc. (SRZ) yesterday (Thursday) reported a $31.8 million second-quarter loss. The company's shares fell $2.56, or 13.5%, to close at $16.36 after falling as low as $16.22 earlier in the day. On Wednesday, the stock fell $1.82, or 8.8%.

Deutsche Bank AG (DB) will today (Friday) announce the purchase of a controlling stake in Postbank, a profitable German institution worth about $14.6 billion, the International Herald Tribune reported. This opens up the door for a potential bidding war with Banco Santander SA (ADR: STD), which said Thursday that it wanted to negotiate the purchase of all of Postbank.

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